The Global Spread of Drones [Download Here]

A Case Study in Israel’s Worldwide Role in Repression

Since the initial publication of “Israel’s Worldwide Role in Repression,” members of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network have continued to research the specific role that Israel plays in contributing to global repression, and exposing this information to as broad an audience as possible. In that vein, this piece was written as a case study, documenting one prominent Israeli-developed technology that is increasingly influential in global war, policing and surveillance. Download “Israel’s Worldwide Role in Repression” in English, Spanish, French or Italian at www.israelglobalrepression.wordpress.com

At the center of this growing global industry is Israel, which first used drones on a large scale during its 1982 invasion of Lebanon, uses drones to maintain its occupation and siege of Gaza, and is the leader in global drones exports, reaping billions in profits. While the world rightly focuses on the overtly militaristic and assassination use of drones by the US in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere, Israel has a largely unknown role in developing the technology behind drones. Israel makes great profits from drones as part of a larger “homeland security” industry, and uses Palestinians as test subjects to sell repressive technologies and ideology around the world.

As Israel continues to colonize and occupy Palestine – with the full backing of the U.S. government – it searches for ever more powerful ways to control Palestinian life, continuously developing new tools and technology. Palestinians bear the initial brunt of these weapons and “homeland security” practices, but as Israel develops these tools, it exports them for profit. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are an Israeli-developed technology that acts as one component in a larger network of military and surveillance technologies and strategies. Israel is the single largest exporter of drone technology in the world – 40% of drone technology originates in Israel.